abstract: A strong correlation exists between the effects of bullying on a singer and his or her performance anxiety. An exhaustive literature review and a survey of classical singers were used to assess this hypothesis. The survey was compiled using standard psychological and current performance anxiety questionnaires with additional questions created by the author. The data were analyzed using a Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, a regression analysis, and an Analysis of Variance. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music 2017

Atenção refere-se ao conjunto de processos que leva à seleção ou processamento preferencial de informações presentes em determinadas porções da rede nervosa. Existem relatos de que músicos exibem melhor desempenho que não-músicos em tarefas que envolvem atenção dado que a tarefa de leitura à primeira vista (de partituras) ativa múltiplas regiões encefálicas, entre elas, áreas envolvidas na orientação da atenção. O presente estudo investigou a orientação encoberta da atenção em músicos capazes de realizar leitura à primeira vista. Investigou ainda, se a continuidade do estudo formal de música ao longo de três anos, depois do ingresso na Universidade (ECA - Escola de Música) produz alterações significativas na memória operacional, avaliada por meio do teste 2-back, em relação a não-músicos que também ingressaram na Universidade, porém em área distinta (Biologia, IB-USP) que não envolve música. Os resultados no teste de atenção encoberta mostraram que não-músicos exibem assimetrias na orientação da atenção visuo-espacial; seu tempo de reação para estímulos apresentados no hemicampo direito é significantemente menor que o observado para estímulos apresentados no hemicampo esquerdo. Ademais, não-músicos exibem efeito de validade apenas para estímulos-alvo apresentados no hemicampo direito. Em músicos, não houve diferenças significantes nos tempos de reação a estímulos apresentados nos hemicampos direito e esquerdo; esses tempos foram significantemente menores que os exibidos pelos não-músicos, para estímulos apresentados no hemicampo esquerdo. Não obstante essa diferença, os músicos também exibiram efeito de validade apenas para estímulos-alvo apresentados no hemicampo direito. Não houve diferenças significantes de desempenho entre músicos e não-músicos no teste de memória operacional. Assim, o estudo formal de música parece relacionar-se com alterações nos processos de orientação da atenção. / Attention corresponds to selection or preferential processing of information maintained in certain portions of the neural network. Musicians seem to exhibit better performance relative to non-musicians in attention-dependent tasks, which is ascribed to sight-reading of scores that activates multiple brain regions, including areas involved on orienting of attention. The present study investigated covert orienting of visual attention in people exposed to prolonged study of music, thus becoming capable of sight-reading. In addition, we investigated if continuation of formal music study after getting into the University (School of Music) leads to significant chance in working memory, as evaluated by the 2-back test involving letters, relative to non-musicians that also get into the University but in a distinct area (Biology). The results in the covert attention test showed that non-musicians exhibit an asymmetry in visuo-spatial orienting of attention; their reaction times for target-stimuli presented in the right hemifield were significantly smaller than those observed for stimuli presented in the left hemifield. In addition, non-musicians exhibited validity effect only for target-stimuli presented in the right hemifield. In contrast, musicians did not exhibit significant differences in reaction times for target stimuli presented in the left or right hemifields; however, these reaction times were smaller than those seen for non-musicians for stimuli presented in the left hemifield. Despite this difference, musicians also exhibited an asymmetry, that is, their validity effect was also restricted to target stimuli presented in the right hemifield. Musicians and non-musicians did not differ in the working memory test. Together, these results indicate that formal music study relates with changes in the processes of orienting of attention.

Questions surrounding musicians’ efficacy beliefs have received a growing amount of scholarly attention over the past decade. Most of such research has centered on self-efficacy belief, or one’s perceived competency for music-related tasks. Studies of collective efficacy perceptions among ensembles have been far fewer. None of the musical efficacy research I identified included investigations of within-group agreement, or the extent to which an ensemble’s members agree in their estimations of group capability. As explained by Bandura (1997), efficacy beliefs motivate both individuals and groups to pursue certain goals, invest effort, and persist despite challenges or setbacks. Thus, Bandura has argued, those with stronger efficacy beliefs are more likely to achieve success. In this exploratory study, I examined collective efficacy beliefs among collegiate string chamber music ensembles, including levels of within-group agreement and correlation with performance quality. Participants included 70 musicians representing 18 chamber ensembles from various collegiate and summer programs in the Northwestern (55 musicians from 14 ensembles) and Western (15 musicians from 4 ensembles) regions of the United States. Musicians independently completed a 5-item survey gauging their confidence in their group’s performance abilities; each ensemble’s aggregated results represented its collective efficacy belief. Each ensemble further provided a video-recorded performance of an excerpt from their repertoire. A panel of four string specialists rated each performance, and their combined ratings constituted performance quality measures for each ensemble. Ensembles in this study reported moderately strong levels of collective efficacy belief (M = 75.27%, SD = 9.09%; Mdn = 76.84%). Levels of within-group agreement were also uniformly high (mean rwg(J) = .95, SD = .05; median rwg(J) = .97), and there was a significant, moderately strong correlation between collective efficacy belief and within-group agreement (rS = .67, p < .01). I found no significant correlation between ensembles’ collective efficacy belief and performance quality. Findings from this study indicate fertile ground for future investigations. Reliability estimates suggest that the collective efficacy measurement instrument is suitable for use with string chamber ensembles, and correlational findings reveal potential limitations to the theorized link between efficacy belief and performance quality in chamber music settings.

The folk tradition has often been divided between two sections: on one side is music,on the other is dance. The aim of this research is to study the relationships between dance and music inside one individual to create a new profile: the dancing musician.The process of this research went through different stages. First of all, I relied on my background as a folk musician and dancer to enable dialogue between these two profiles. Then I went beyond the boundaries of the folk tradition by mixing improvisation and folk music. Finally, I analysed movements, meters and expression of each part in order to combine them and to resolve technical issues of the multitasking process. The present study shows different ways of using this dance-music combination as a creative tool and explains what effects those arts have on each other.

Restless Soul is composed of observational and expository style to depict a culture of youth, strength, and passion. The film captures an improvising musician and composer named Garrett Wingfield, who expresses spontaneous sound reflected in his mind, body and spirit. By working with his music friends, he releases his creative energies through his compositions and his different types of saxophones. The documentary allows its audience to experience the youth culture in a postmodern world.

Perfectionism is regarded as both a virtue and a vice, due to its paradoxically motivating and dysfunctional possibilities for musicians. The aim of this mixed method study was to obtain a greater understanding of the impact of perfectionism on the psychological wellbeing of the musician by exploring the correlations between perfectionism, rumination, and mindfulness in South African university music students. The quantitative phase consisted of a cross-sectional survey design, during which 72 music students completed a questionnaire consisting of the Multidimensional Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory-English (Concern over mistakes; Pursuit of Perfection; Personal Standards), the Rumination Response Scale (Reflection; Brooding), and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (Observing; Describing; Acting with Awareness; Non-judging of inner experiences; Non-reactivity to inner experiences). The subsequent qualitative phase involved a multiple case study design with nine music students participating in semi-structured interviews. Correlational analysis revealed several significant correlations between perfectionism and rumination, perfectionism and mindfulness, and rumination and mindfulness. Brooding rumination was found to be positively related to concern over mistakes and pursuit of perfection in music students. Perfectionism (concern over mistakes and pursuit of perfection) furthermore revealed an inverse correlation with non-judging mindfulness, and to a lesser degree, non-reactivity mindfulness. Brooding rumination furthermore showed a significant association with decreased levels of mindfulness, whereas reflection rumination mostly correlated with higher levels of mindfulness. Multiple regression analysis revealed brooding rumination to be an important predictor of self-critical perfectionism among music students. The qualitative data supported these findings and emphasised the negative experience of perfectionism and the dichotomous view of perfection among music students. The study provides valuable insight into the perfectionistic, ruminative and mindfulness tendencies of music students and can be employed to enhance the psychological wellbeing of university musicians and increase the quality of academic output. / Thesis (DMus (Musicology))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Music / DMus (Musicology) / Unrestricted

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While experiencing childhood maltreatment (CM) increases the risk for negative lifetime outcomes, protective factors can lessen the harmful impact of stressful experiences and contribute to one's overall resilience. Musical engagement may operate as a protective factor by facilitating creative expression, increasing feelings of mastery, and providing a sense of belonging. It may also present stressors due to the unique demands of music performance (e.g., time constraints, competitiveness, scarce career opportunities). Due to the limited current research looking at musicians that have experienced trauma, we used a constructivist grounded theory approach to understand how the experience of engaging in music education and performance as children influenced resilience among adult survivors of CM. We invited thirteen students from prestigious music performance programs to participate based on their demonstrated resilience to perform at elite levels, despite reports of severe CM. Participants reflected on their experiences with CM, music education and performance, their identities as musicians, and the concept of resilience. Our analysis of interview transcripts supported the positive influence of social support, self-efficacy, and time and space away from their primary perpetrators of CM. Participants also consistently noted challenges present within organized music education, including ineffective instructors, pressure to perform well, and music used as a form of maltreatment which hindered their abilities to cope with CM. Implications based on key findings support making trauma-informed music instruction available equitably to all children and increased awareness among professionals of instructors' influence to facilitate or impede the coping process.

This thesis explores integrating deload weeks into musicians' practice plans to enhance performance and prevent burnout. It investigates the concept's applicability in music practice, drawing parallels from strength training and bouldering. The thesis examines typical practice approaches, methods for measuring exertion, and considers the Sibelius Academy's practice guide as an alternative methodology. Deload week examples, tapering strategies, arguments against deloading, and the author's personalized practice plan are discussed. The thesis emphasizes the importance of integrating deload weeks to optimize musicians' performance and well-being, calling for further exploration in refining practice methodologies.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Laurence A. Clement / Street musicians and performers attract people to public spaces. These performers, or ‘buskers’ as they are commonly referred, typically congregate along specific streets, parks, plazas, and transit stops in a city. The term pitch describes the place buskers perform. Pedestrian flow, visibility, and acoustics are just some of the factors that street performers consider when selecting a pitch. While performers resourcefully adapt to the challenges of different pitches, public spaces often do little to accommodate performers and their audiences. William Whyte observed how street performances facilitate social interactions between strangers and give character to cities and neighborhoods. Relative Pitch explores where performances occur and how they benefit public places. Case studies of popular busking locations establish a typology of squares, streets, and transit stops. Video clip analysis of street performances demonstrates the spatial relations between performer and audience. Dimensions and observations from these case studies provided insight and information for the application of the typology to proposed sites in Wichita, Kansas. Buskers adapt pitches relative to their physical environment. Point, linear, planar, and volumetric elements define and articulate temporary stages, audience space, and circulation paths during performances. Design proposals for the typology sites in Wichita illustrate how flexible performance spaces can be incorporated in squares, streets, and transit stops. This project looks at ways to activate public spaces by encouraging street performance.